Here is some of the evidence we have used in addition to our own in considering our submission to the Government’s Curriculum and Assessment Review. It is by no means comprehensive, and we would direct you to The Arts in Schools report and our 2024 Report Card for more, as well as the relevant subject associations. However, we hope it might be helpful as you put together your own submission.
Value of arts subjects
- Arts Education Partnership (U.S.), Deasy, R., Catterall, J. S., Hetland, L., & Winner, E. (2002). Critical links: Learning in the arts and student academic and social development.
- Hetland, L., Winner, E., Veenema, S. & Sheridan, K. (2013). Studio Thinking 2: The Real Benefits of Arts Education. Teachers College Press
- Thomson, PO, Coles, R, Hallewell, M & Keene, J (2014) A critical review of the Creative Partnerships archive: how was cultural value understood, researched and evidenced? Newcastle: CCE
- Halverson, E., & Sawyer, K. (2022). Learning in and through the arts. Journal of the Learning Sciences, 31(1), 1–13. Bowen, D & Kisida, B (2023) Investigating the causal effects of arts education. Journal of Policy Analysis and Management 42(3) 624-647.
- Catterall, James S (2009) Doing well and doing good by doing art: The effects of education in the visual and performing arts on the achievements and values of young adults. San Francisco: CreateSpace Independent epublishing Platform;
- Rabkin, N (2017) Hearts and minds: The arts and civic engagement. Boston, The Rabkin Foundation
- Armbruster, A, (2022) Art, democracy, and economics: Measuring the arts’ relationship to civic engagement https://ssrn.com/abstract=4324039
- Cairns et al (2020) Arts rich schools. RSA https://www.thersa.org/globalassets/pdfs/reports/rsa-arts-rich-schools.pdf
- Thomson, P & Hall, C (2023) Cultural citizenship, Arts education for life. London: Routledge; The RAPS project https://artsprimary.com/raps-project/.
Decline in expressive arts education
- All Party Parliamentary Group for Music Education, Incorporated Society of Musicians & University of Surrey (2019) Music education: State of the nation. https://www.ism.org/images/images/State-of-the-Nation-Music-Education-WEB.pdf
- Ashton, H & Ashton, D (2022) Creativity and the curriculum: educational apartheid in 21st Century England, a European outlier? International Journal of Cultural Policy 29(4) 484-499
Broadening the curriculum
‘Save our Subjects’ Campaign, Independent Society of Musicians, 2023
Secondary curriculum and assessment
Rethinking assessment: a new approach to assessment in England
Striking the balance: A review of 11-16 curriculum and assessment in England, Charles Clarke review, published by OCR. 4 September 2024
Requires Improvement: urgent change for 11-16 education, report by House of Lords Education Committee, Lord Knight review. 12 December 2023
Systemic problems
‘Education the fundamentals – eleven facts about the education system in England’
NESTA and Education Policy Institute. 1December 2023
Representation
Visualise: Race and inclusion in secondary arts education, report from Freelands Foundation and the Runnymede Trust. Spring 2024
Disadvantage
This is addressed through evidence in our 2024 Report Card, but also see ‘A Class Act? Social Mobility and the creative industries’, published by the Sutton Trust (13 November 2024) which reveals stark class inequalities in access to the creative industries (also relevant for careers section below).
Benefits: Oracy and communication
‘We need to talk’ Final report of the Commission on the future of oracy education in England. October 2024
Art and Design
‘Art Now’ enquiry, commissioned by APPG and undertaken by NSEAD. June 2023
Dance
Levelling the Playing Field, Ofsted’s 2023 PE subject report: “In just over a third of [secondary] schools, dance in key stage 3 was not taught at all, or was not taught to all as part of the PE or performing arts curriculum.”
Drama
Time to Act, RSC, 2013 – major research study exploring the difference that Shakespeare’s work and RSC teaching approaches make to the language development and social and emotional development of children and young people.
Music
Review of Music published by OFSTED, 21 September 2023
All Party Parliamentary Group for Music Education, Incorporated Society of Musicians & University of Surrey (2019) Music education: State of the nation. https://www.ism.org/images/images/State-of-the-Nation-Music-Education-WEB.pdf
Parents
Recent research from Netflix and the National Theatre highlights that the majority of parents in working class families do not support their child pursuing a career in the creative sectors. September 2024
The wider global perspective
World Economic Forum top 10 job skills of tomorrow – including analytical thinking and innovation; complex problem-solving; critical thinking and analysis; creativity, originally and initiative; leadership; resilience and flexibility; problem-solving and ideation.
Art for Art’s Sake: The Impact of Arts Education. OECD, 2013.The role of arts education in having a positive impact on OECD’s ‘skills for innovation’: subject-based skills; skills in thinking and creativity; and behavioural and social skills.
Careers and economy
The 2023 Sector Vision report on the creative industries recognises the enormous growth of the creative sectors, and the need to address a skills shortage, as well as the positive impact on the economy.
Extra-curricular provision (not in scope of review)
‘Access to extra-curricular provision and the association with outcomes’ Education Policy Institute. February 2024
Game Changer, report from Centre for Social Justice calling on greater access to extra-curricular activities (focus is sport but also covers arts). September 2023
